The present invention relates to multiple-track toy vehicle racing arrangements in general, and more particularly to a starting gate for use in connection with such an arrangement for releasing self-propelled toy vehicles onto the tracks.
Multiple-track toy vehicle racing arrangements of various constructions are already known, as are various devices for starting the movement of the vehicles on the respective tracks. So, for instance, when the toy vehicles are propelled by an electric motor supplied with electric current from contact rails embedded in the respective tracks, a depression or flipping of a switch incorporated in the circuit between a source of electric energy and the respective contact rail will energize the motor of the respective vehicle and cause the vehicle to commence its travel on the respective track. On the other hand, when the toy vehicle is self-propelled, that is, when it carries its own energy source, such as a battery or a wind-up or inertial energy storing mechanism, it is customary to "charge" the vehicle and to place the same behind an obstruction which is removed at the beginning of the race. When referring to the charging of a self-propelled vehicle, it is to be understood that it encompasses, but is not limited to, the winding-up of the wind-up mechanism, storing energy in the inertial mechanism, closing the circuit between the battery and the driving motor, and the like. When the vehicle is charged within the definition explained above, it is ready to commence its movement onto and along the track immediately upon the removal of the obstruction.
When the racing arrangement is of the type using charged vehicles, it would be possible to use a single starting element for simultaneously removing the obstructions out of the way of all of the toy vehicles so that they start the race at exactly the same time. However, if this were done, both or all vehicles involved in the race would reach the finish line at exactly the same moment under ideal conditions, or one or some of the vehicle would always arrive at the finish later than the other or others if the quality of the tracks is not the same or the power of the vehicles is slightly different, or for any other reasons making the conditions less than ideal.
In addition thereto, the toy vehicle racing game or arrangement should simulate, to the extent feasible, the actual conditions existing in real road races. It will be appreciated that, in a real road race, a driver having the capability of quickly reacting to the sound of the starter's pistol, the appearance of a green light, or a similar audible or visual indication of the beginning of the race will obtain an advantage at the starting gate over those drivers whose capability to react is lower. Therefore, it is advantageous to so construct the starting gate that each of the participants of the toy vehicle race will actuate his or her own starting element to release the respective toy vehicle onto the track at the beginning of the race.
Where this expedient is resorted to, one of the participants could obtain an unfair advantage by actuating his or her starting element prematurely, that is, during the countdown sequence. This, of course, is undesirable.